"There's no doubt this is going to continue to grow in the years ahead," Councilman Douglas Derito told WSB Radio last December, while the 2025 display was still lit. "It's going to become one of those things that Alpharetta is known for."
Lights on the Loop returns Friday, December 4, and the Alpha Loop Foundation is aiming for more visitors than last year. It has also cut its big themed weekends from three to two. More people with fewer headline nights only works if most of the crowd comes on ordinary evenings. That makes a Tuesday walk on the trail the main event this year.
From a Hot Chocolate Line to a Month of Lights
The event started small. On December 13 and 14, the Alpha Loop Foundation and Awesome Alpharetta held the first Lights on the Loop to celebrate a newly finished one-mile stretch of trail between Old Milton Parkway and Northwinds Summit. Appen Media reported that at least 400 people came for hot chocolate, donuts and a look at the new tunnel and 12-foot-wide bridge.
By 2025, the same mile stayed lit every night from December 5, 2025 through January 4, 2026, from 5:30 to 11 p.m., with themed programming on three weekends. The foundation told Alpharetta's Development Authority in September 2026 that the 2025 run drew more than 31,000 visitors to that section of trail. It also reported more than 13,000 Eventbrite registrations for the themed weekends and about $140,000 in sponsorships from roughly 20 sponsors.
| Year | Format | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| First year | One opening celebration, Dec. 13 and 14 | At least 400 attendees |
| 2025 | Nightly display, Dec. 5 to Jan. 4, three themed weekends | 31,000+ visitors, 13,000+ weekend registrations |
| 2026 | Nightly display, Dec. 4 to Jan. 4, two themed weekends | Goal of 41,000 visitors, about 7,000 weekend registrations |
Fewer Weekends, a Bigger Goal
The 2026 numbers in that table are targets the foundation presented to the Development Authority. They are not results. Set against last year, the plan reads clearly. The foundation wants about 10,000 more visitors over the month. Its goal for themed-weekend registrations is roughly 7,000, about half of 2025's total.
Registrations don't equal head counts, so the gap between the two figures is a rough measure. In 2025, about 18,000 of the 31,000 visitors came on top of the weekend registrations. If the 2026 goals hold, that number rises to about 34,000. Nearly all of the growth the foundation is planning would happen on nights with no ticket, no stage and no vendor tents.
The foundation also told the Authority it plans more interactive activations for 2026, alongside the cut in weekends. Weekend crowds were already large. In a sponsorship appeal, the foundation said approximately 2,500 to 5,000 guests came on each event night in 2025. Those nights draw more than locals. The foundation's presentation said registrations came from as far as Birmingham and Charlotte.
The Two Weekends That Remain
The weekend that disappeared is Winter Health and Wellness, which opened the 2025 run. The music weekend and the pet weekend both return, and the pet weekend has been rebranded. According to Awesome Alpharetta's 2026 event page, the lineup is:
- Holiday Music Showcase, Friday and Saturday, December 4 and 5, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Alpharetta Symphony, the Alpharetta City Band, local musicians and a holiday DJ perform. Friday's "Switch On The Lights" celebration starts at 5:30 p.m., when the display is turned on for the season. A separate Awesome Alpharetta listing gives 5 p.m., so check with the organizer before you go.
- Pet-Friendly Weekend featuring Llamas on the Loop, Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The foundation calls it "Paws & Llamas," with pet activities and llamas on site. Last year's version was called the Santa Paws Winter Bash.
Both weekends add the Lights & Delights Village behind 2500 Northwinds Parkway. It has artisan vendors, seasonal food and non-alcoholic drinks for sale, a holiday DJ, family entertainment and costumed characters for photos. The foundation has been taking vendor applications and promoting "thousands of holiday visitors" walking past each booth.
Register on Eventbrite for the themed weekends. Awesome Alpharetta says registration is "strongly encouraged," and the Alpha Loop Foundation's event page says free registration is required. You don't need to register for the nightly light display.
The Power on the Trail Is Now Partly Permanent
A month of nightly lights needs electricity on a trail that wasn't built to supply much of it, and that has shaped the event. For 2025, the foundation paid $17,000 for temporary power, WSB reported. At a December City Council discussion, staff estimated permanent power would cost about $20,000 one time. Appen reported that Councilman Fergal Brady asked staff to consider proposing it in the city budget.
The money came from Alpharetta's Development Authority instead. In its September 2026 presentation, the foundation said the Authority's earlier $20,000 contribution paid for permanent power near the tunnel on the south side of Westside Parkway. That removed the need for some of the temporary power boxes used in 2025. The Authority then considered $25,000 for the 2026 event. Two members who also serve on the foundation's board stepped back from the discussion and vote.
The foundation describes the arrangement as a split. The city builds the trail, and the 501(c)(3) raises money for lighting, public art, wayfinding and events like this one. At the September meeting, the foundation reported $77,000 in confirmed 2026 sponsorships, with another $150,000 in the pipeline.
How It Fits Around the Two Tree Lightings
Lights on the Loop starts the second phase of Alpharetta's season. The first phase comes two weeks earlier, when the city and Avalon light their trees on back-to-back nights. Both of those are single events built around one countdown.
| Date | Event | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 21 | City of Alpharetta Season of Celebration tree lighting | Downtown Alpharetta, 2 Park Plaza | 5 to 8 p.m. |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | The Lighting of Avalon, with Avalon on Ice opening | Avalon, 400 Avalon Blvd. | 2 to 7:30 p.m., tree at 7 p.m. |
| Nov. 22 to Jan. 18 | Avalon on Ice season | The Plaza at Avalon | Opening day 3 to 10 p.m. |
| Dec. 4 to Jan. 4 | Lights on the Loop nightly display | Alpha Loop, Northwinds Pkwy. to Old Milton Pkwy. | 5:30 to 11 p.m. |
The downtown lighting is free and happens rain or shine, with live music, snow flurries, marshmallow roasting, sing-alongs and a visit from Santa. The next afternoon, The Lighting of Avalon starts with skating performances around the rink at 2 p.m. The rink opens to the public at 3 p.m., and Santa counts down to the 40-foot tree at 7 p.m. sharp. Avalon offers its free parking decks, valet at 3rd Street and a shuttle from Gwinnett Technical College across the street, and it recommends carpooling or ride-share because parking fills quickly.
Avalon on Ice and the Alpha Loop display run on similar terms through the season. You can go back to both on any night after the opening crowds are gone.
Planning a Weeknight Walk
The display lights the same mile every night through Monday, January 4. On themed weekends, the programming ends at 8:30 p.m., and the lights stay on until 11. The Awesome Alpharetta FAQ lists free parking at 2500 and 2520 Northwinds Parkway. From there, the lit section runs south toward Old Milton Parkway and passes through the tunnel near Westside Parkway, where the new permanent power is.
On a weeknight, the trail has no stage, vendors or registration. Weather updates for the themed weekends go to registered attendees through Eventbrite, and the weekend events run rain or shine unless there's heavy rain or severe weather.
The foundation's 41,000-visitor goal depends on those ordinary evenings. The first one after the opening weekend is Monday, December 7.
If you're watching how the Alpha Loop is changing the neighborhoods along Northwinds and Old Milton Parkway, or wondering what trail access means for a home you own or are considering nearby, David Huang Group can walk you through it in English or Mandarin. Schedule a Free Market Consultation.
